Where Someone is Thinking of You
by Arkosic
Summary: The Fourth Great Ninja War is over. Sasuke comes back home. But to be leaving so soon again after years of being away is unsettling for Naruto. Does Sasuke leave Naruto once again- or can the latter trust the former to return?
1. Chapter 1

_Hi there! It's been_ _ **ages**_ _since my last update lol (just never got round to it). I'm trying for a story this time that I plan to update and not just a one-shot! It's my first time writing something longer for others to read, so please_ _ **review, review and review**_ _\- I need ALL the improvement I can get!_

 _Forgive me (and point out) any grammar mistakes, changes in tone that are a bit weird, etc.._ _ **I tried to keep it consistent!**_

 _A bit about the timeframe: I wanted the setting to be at a hospital since the village hasn't been rebuilt yet and the boys need to be together lol, so two weeks may seem a bit too short for some of y'alls. BUT MY EXCUSE IS THAT THEY HEAL REALLY FAST!_

 ** _I own nothing of Naruto (if I did it wouldn't have ended that way ugh) and am making no money off this project._**

 **The way I wanted it: Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 1**

It had been two weeks since their last fight. The Fourth Great Shinobi War was finally over-Madara defeated and deceased, Kaguya sealed away and all ninja and civilians freed from the vivid dreams the Infinite Tsukuyomi captivated them in. All this happened due to two young men, whose fates were entwined as such that all would come to pass as though it would all work out well in the end. And surprisingly enough, it did. These were the thoughts of the young Uchiha as he walked through the forests of Konoha with the blonde-haired boy whose destiny he shared. He remembered the latter's conversation prior to their walk...

* * *

 _'_ _Neh, Sasuke?'_

 _'_ _Hm?' The dark haired boy turned his head towards the owner of the voice that called out to him._

 _'_ _Well, you see...' Sasuke was wondering why the other man was so adamant in speaking. He watched with black eyes as the other's blue ones shifted around and chose to focus on a spot- one which settled on his feet. Nervously scratching the back of his head before continuing, Naruto took a frustrated sigh and carried on._

 _'_ _E-Ero Sennin's shrine is not too far away from here. I..I'd like it if you came with me before you leave tomorrow.' He paused for a bit in thought. 'Just...just come, okay?'_

 _'_ _Yeah, sure. Ok.' The boy who had onyxes for orbs had no idea why the blonde was getting so flustered. It was just a visit to the memorial of an old mentor. He was sure that lots of people close to Naruto had died over the last few years. Why was this any differe-_

 _Then he recalled. His own family. The pain he had of losing them, and the inability to get rid of the fluttering in his stomach_ _ **every time**_ _he visited their gravestones. No matter how many years had passed. Even now...There was absolutely no way Sasuke would consider visiting with the Uchiha clan graveyard with someone else- regardless if it was the Hokage, or Naruto for that matter. No other person could experience the feelings he felt- not being able to do so would result in ultimate disrespect towards his clan. Jiraya was an important person to Naruto. Other than himself, there were few that he could call family. Visiting someone like that, someone who was close enough to call father, with someone else was- not to say the least- very uneasy. Sasuke inwardly laughed. They had shared the same feelings, even to this extent?_

 _That's why, Naruto you..._

'We're here.'

Sasuke was snatched away from his reminiscing by his companion's voice. He followed the blonde's hand containing yellow flowers (courtesy of the Yamanaka's) , to a boulder with the kanji for 'teacher' engraved on it. Two smaller rocks were placed on either side of the larger one, kunai joining the top of all stones by a thin wire. Slowly, the blue-eyed youth began to make his way forwards towards the site. Sasuke could feel the hesitation in his steps, the nervousness of his breathe, the goose bumps on the nape of his neck all too well. He often felt like this when visiting his family grave. He only imagined it was a thousand times worse for Naruto since he himself was here too. The boy in front of him had now placed the bouquet before the large stone. The grave site itself was pitiful, Sasuke thought, but was special as Naruto had constructed personally. Uzumaki then proceeded to clasp his hand to his chest and offer a prayer. The dark haired boy still stood a couple of yards away from the memorial, unmoving. When Naruto was done, he lowered his arm so it remained at his side.

'Ero Sennin. I miss you.' The voice in which it was said was barely audible, but Sasuke wouldn't miss it for the world. It held so much sadness and regret and longing- feelings which he knew all too well. It hurt badly, but the blonde wasn't done dealing painful blows to the Uchiha yet.

'I-I did it Ero Sennin.' He continued. 'I defeated Madara. I got rid of Obito's hate. And I…' He paused again, taking a deep breath. 'I-I saved... I saved Sasuke.'

The boy flinched at hearing his name. It hurt. So badly.

'I'm going to be Hokage soon, hehe. Though, I wish you were alive to see it. Baa-chan said you'd be really proud, heh.' At that, Sasuke could hear almost silent sobbing, before the hurried wiping of a sleeve against a now slightly red face. The black haired boy felt his stomach do a three sixty. He begged.

 _Please stop. Please stop this right now._

As if responding to the Uchiha's pleas, the blonde spoke.

'Sasuke. What are you standing there for? Come and offer a prayer to Ero Sennin.' Even Naruto couldn't hide the fact that he'd been crying through his voice. Sasuke scoffed inwardly at the ridiculousness of it all.

 _What's wrong with this guy? Doesn't he have any clue of what he's doing, taking someone like_ _ **me**_ _to a place like_ _ **this**_ _? This is a joke._

'Naruto.'

'Hm?' The recipient of the name looked up, a confused expression beginning to form on his face.

' _I don't get you_.' The Uchiha spat out suddenly.

The confused look Naruto held had grown even further.

'I was an Akatsuki member. Part of the same organisation that killed Jiraiya.'

Sasuke swallowed.

'What would you have done if while he was alive I was ordered to kill him instead of Hachibi?'

No answer.

'What would you have done,huh?! Would you have been able to forgive me? Could you weigh us on a set of scales?'

Still no response.

' _Would you have killed me?!_ '

Sasuke's lungs gasped for breath as he screamed that last sentence.


	2. Chapter 2

_The second chapter- a bit longer this time!_

 _Please review and tell me what you liked best and what I could improve on._

 _ **Enjoy!**_

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Kishi's Naruto and am making no profit of this work.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

The morning air was tense around them. Neither said any words but chose only to stare. One's eyes held a fiery glare-the other, a sad but steady gaze. The one with blue orbs walked forwards, not diverting his look from his opponent's face. He carried on until there was just a handful of space between them. Sasuke was sweating now, clear beads trickling down his temple. His hand shook, and in order to restrain it, he resorted to clenching his fingers until his nails dug into his own palm.

The other finally answered.

'Would you have wanted me to kill you?'

 _Yes ._

Sasuke cried internally. _Yes, I wanted you to kill me. For so long now, I wanted you to end my life. To free me from this burden, this overwhelming feeling of regret_ _ **every time**_ _I see you in pain knowing that I am the one who caused it all, the one who took everything dear way from you. Why did you leave me alive? Do you enjoy seeing me suffer? Do you like seeing the distorted look on my face every time I see that you're hurting? Just tell me. Just say it. Just say you enjoy it. That you crave it._

Instead of disclosing what he really wanted to say, the young man answered the other with another question.

'Would you have been able to?' He asked that question, even though they both knew what the response would be. However, the Uchiha was stubborn and wanted a challenge. He knew that he had won the moment he posed it. It paid to know Naruto this well. Their gaze held for a few more seconds until the blonde broke it off. As he walked past him back the way they came, the lighter haired boy whispered.

'You're always such a pain.'

The one with dark eyes just softly chuckled.

'But that never stopped you, did it?'

'No.'

Sasuke stood where he was, his hand still clenched and trembling. Part of him couldn't shake the urge, the strong urge that told him he should demolish Naruto, coil his fingers round his neck and suffocate him so he couldn't breathe. Yes, it had been a fortnight since he had been rescued from darkness, but that wasn't enough to dismiss the years of trained instinct from himself. He tried to calm himself down, by taking deep steady breaths and raising his gaze towards the sky.

Finally, after about three minutes of slow breathing, he felt his nerves quieten down by a significant amount.

 _So annoying._

At last, he turned around and quickened his pace to catch up to the other boy.

* * *

Sasuke heard a knock on his door. He turned around to face his clock, squinting to make out a time which read three twenty three a.m. He already knew who it was, even before any chakra signals as there was only one person who would come to him at this time at night. He sat up, leaning against the metal head board.

'Didn't know you had the ability to knock, dobe.'

'Tch. Teme.' As he entered, Naruto had a grin on his face that the other boy could make out even with the dim moonlight that seeped through the gaps of his drawn curtains. He walked over, settling down on Sasuke's hospital bed-not so oblivious to the fact that he was sitting on his legs under the sheets.

'You're on my legs idiot.'

Uzumaki just ignored him and sighed. He took a deep breath whilst playing with his fingers on his lap, twiddling them around nervously. The pale blue material that clothed his body scrunched up as a result, folding much like waves in the ocean. His gaze seemed to fix onto something in the distance as he stayed a few moments without blinking. Finally, without averting his stare, he spoke.

'So, you're going today huh?'

Sasuke didn't miss the fear in his voice. The fear that said he was going to leave again, and not come back. That during his journey that he would start hours later he would find something that would convince him to never return to Konoha. Instead of saying something back in return, he too chose to stare at something further away. Naruto twitched his arm besides him on the bed.

The arm without the hand. The arm with more than half of it missing. The arm which didn't continue from forearm onwards.

The arm which he destroyed.

Even after two weeks, Sasuke still felt a pang of pain every time he saw Naruto trying to use his right hand out of habit having forgotten that it was no longer there. He was too young, only seventeen. And he had taken one of his limbs from him when his life had barely begun. The raven shifted his legs uncomfortably under the covers so that Naruto was forced to change his position slightly too. The latter leaned back, placing his hand behind him on the mattress so it held up his weight.

'I'm not sleepy at all.'

 _He's still trying to make conversation._

The raven didn't understand. There was no point of them both being stubborn. Naruto might just as well say what he wanted to say like he always did-regardless of what the other person might think of him. Then again, it _was_ always him that had to be honest so Sasuke contemplated on responding first for a change.

'You know, I am coming back.'

Naruto raised his head perplexed at that, swallowing thickly at the fact that Sasuke had been able to read him so easily despite his best efforts to hide what was troubling him.

'I-I wasn't trying to-'

'I will.'

'I-'

'I said I will, usurantonkachi.'

Naruto gulped, and looked at Sasuke with such a lame determined expression on his face that the raven was forced to turn his head to the side in embarrassment.

'Don't...'

'Don't what?'

'Nothing.'

'You know, if you're not going to finish off saying something, you might as well not say it at all,' Naruto teased, a grin beginning to emerge on his face.

'Shut up. I was going to say something, but then you interrupted me,' Sasuke retorted back. In a way, the Uchiha was glad that the mood was lightening up as well as the tense atmosphere being released, and that they were going back to their old quarrelsome selves again.

'Liar.'

'Idiot.'

'Teme.'

'Dobe.'

'Stupid stupid idiot.'

'Tch, so childish. You may have grown stronger physically, but your brain hasn't moved in the last three years at all, has it?' Sasuke too was now smirking.

The blonde's face grew bright red at hearing the Uchiha's remark. He huffed and turned his face obstinately to the side, knowing that he couldn't win this time, or any time to be exact against the other person.

Naruto was quiet for a whole four minutes, which was extremely worrying to Sasuke. The latter sighed, wondering if what he said was a little too mean, but thought that he had said much, much worse before. Settling on deciding that Naruto was just punishing him, Sasuke for the second time that night decided to break the silence. As a way of gesture, he shook his legs under the blanket to get Naruto's attention.

'Let's go for a walk. Go put something on,' Sasuke suddenly declared.

Uzumaki's face lit up at that, and the raven rolled his eyes at how _easy_ it was to make Naruto happy.

 _He really is a child._

Naruto sprung up from the bed and stretched his arm high above his head whilst letting out a purposeful noisy yawn.

'Hey. Don't be so loud dobe, you'll wake everyone up.' Sasuke hissed, clearly irritated by his friend's antics.

'Eh, relax! No one is gonna hear us at this time!' Naruto still didn't lower his voice. Sasuke , who was fed up already, decided that if anyone was going to get in trouble, it would be Naruto and Naruto _alone_ , and there was no way he was bailing out the Usuratonkachi this time.

'Put something on. It's cold outside.'

'Eh, I don't need to. I never feel cold!' The blonde looked quite proud of himself when he said that, wiping the skin under his nose with his index finger.

'Fine. Don't go complaining to me when you catch a cold.'

'I never catch col- arggh! Sasuke!'

* * *

 _So, uh you can sense the tense atmosphere between Naruto and Sasuke. The issue with them is when it comes to feelings, it's all fine but when they actually have to start **talking then that becomes a problem.**_

 _The next chapter will be considerably shorter, but that's where the real angst comes in LOL, so I want to start and end it with that. Also, I'll probably upload more than one chapter next time since that's the case._

 **Until then!~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The two walked by each other's sides as they did so yesterday morning. Naruto had his hand at the back of his head, while Sasuke had his wrapped around his body to keep the hospital sheet he was using as a shawl in place. Both boys walked past at least seven different alleyways until Sasuke wondered if they should start talking. He stopped in front of a bench, which coincidently was the one he always used to eat his lunch alone at while he was at the academy. In fact, they weren't far at all from the place where they had their ninja training either. Looking around, memory after memory flooded into Sasuke's head- from when he first met the applicants at the academy, all the way up until his previous times in Konoha as a cell member of Team 7. How everything had changed, and yet nothing at all he thought. Wannabe-shinobi still attended as they did, although the time was of peace. The logs placed in the yard that they practised shuriken on had older dents, and freshly made ones. This swing, that was dominantly occupied by a certain Uzumaki in their time probably had a new owner too. The pale-skinned man stopped his reminiscing when Naruto realised after a couple more steps that the Uchiha was no longer next to him. He turned around and put his arm by his side and started to stare at the person in front of him.

'Listen. Just tell me.'

Sasuke avoided eye contact while speaking and kept on staring at the ground.

'Tell me...everything.'

'Heh, about wha-'

'About everything. About you feeling, about me goin-'

'I don't want you to go.' Naruto suddenly blurted out.

'What?' Sasuke also spluttered out uncontrollably.

'I don't want you to go. Stay.'

Naruto's voice was so small when he said that last word.

* * *

 _Bonds which cause confusion must be severed._

 _He remembered telling himself that over and over again, ever since he left for Orochimaru, up until the day he fought Naruto at the Valley of The End in their last major friction. These feelings that made him vulnerable, like a flashlight, exposed the weaknesses of his own heart. He couldn't categorise these emotions- or rather- he didn't want to. Every day that he trained with the Sannin, he used hatred as a barrier to try and ward of any unnecessary feelings that would sway him from his path. And yet, that bright yellowness would always manage to escape through the cracks known as longing._

 _This black heart doesn't deserve to be bathed in such warmth, he told himself. He had hoped that like a black hole, any brightness would be swallowed- so nothing could affect him. So he could be careless and hold on to that longing. Little did he know that it was that longing that was his demise. How could he have been so naive?_

 _No._

 _No it wasn't his fault._

 _It was Uzumaki Naruto. He was the one who shouldn't have been like that. Sasuke didn't know such a person like him could even exist. Such forthrightness and straightforwardness, it was like even his hatred (if such a thing existed in him) was bright and sunny. He was the sun personified. All things are attracted to the sun, except those stars who cannot excel without its absence. Sasuke tried to be one of those stars, that shone best in the dark, when the sun was not interfering._

But he realised that he was the moon.

The moon that looked best when the sun's beaming face shone upon it.

 _I wish I was a falling star._


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry for the late update._

 _a question I got-nope, this isn't an SNS fic._

 _This is the **last official chapter,** but there will be **.0 chapters.**_

 _Enjoy as always and review!_

 _-_ **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and am making no money off this work**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

Sasuke didn't dare to look up. He didn't _want_ to look up. He _couldn't_ look up. The Uchiha dread to set eyes on the face that was accompanied by that voice. Naruto's eyes, which almost looked like they held the determination of the world in them- he didn't want to imagine them differently. So rather than store a new picture of what the Uzumaki's gaze could look like, he turned around.

Yes, he was running away. He had done it a thousand times before, so what was once more? It was not like he had to accept everything at once, he excused for himself. Yes- he would face things on his own terms, heal in his own time. There was no hurry. The war was over, and he was going on a journey where he would figure everything out-

 _Thump._

He felt contact on the upper part of his back.

The top of Naruto's head was pressed against the material a few inches beneath his shoulder blades. He was trembling. And even though no one but them were around, Sasuke sensed that Naruto still felt exposed, partly because he had completely submerged his face into Sasuke's back so he couldn't see him, and partly because he was _certain that_ the Uzumaki wanted to cry - _because he was shaking_ _so much_ \- but wouldn't do so.

Then Uchiha did something very considerate of himself. The sheet that he was using as protection against the cold was flipped back over his shoulders so that it landed on Naruto and covered his head completely. The blonde took this an invitation, and as he dug his nails into the cloth (so much so that Sasuke felt it on his own back), he began to bawl with such weight that the dark-haired boy was certain that the night would be woken up itself.

And despite the chilly temperature and some bared skin, Sasuke didn't feel cold _at all._

Not that you could when the sun was touching your back.

* * *

Light's rays were making its way over the village. A familiar star in the sky peeked through the horizon and boasted its array of colours. The warm glows of orange and scarlet palettes painted an ethereal atmosphere over the Hidden Leaf, basking it in brilliance. Gently dancing, the air smelt fresh and tasted pleasant and uplifting.

On an oak bench not particularly placed anywhere sat two heroes of a Great Ninja War. One was leaning forward with his elbow on his thigh and his arm rested across his lap, while the other sat straight with his hand placed on his knee flatly. As of his frontward position, the blonde's head interfered with the sun rays- causing them to go off track as they mingled with his hair, illuminating the strands to a gorgeous golden colour. The shade that was cast over radiated his tan skin, causing an afterglow that would immerse anyone that looked at it. The scene resembled one of two weeks ago, Sasuke reminisced-though painfully.

'Do y'think Sakura-chan's noticed us gone by now?' Naruto smiled as he kicked at a not-so-white piece of material in close range of his feet. Sasuke simply exhaled air from his nose as he closed his eyes, gently turning up the corners of his mouth. When he did open them again, he spoke.

'I'm sorry if my turning away suggested a rejection of your words.'

'Nah, it's ok.'

'Really?' Sasuke now turned to face Naruto, who subsequently looked his way.

'Mmh. I understand. I was just being selfish.'

'No. You weren't. You' -Sasuke took a deep breath- 'had every right to tell me to stay.' He continued. 'After all you've been through, it's not wrong for you to want us to be together now.

'But _because_ it's you, I don't want you to bear anymore- because of me. That's why I need to go to and better myself. And then one day, I'll face you again.'

'But you're totally fine the way you are now!'

'Maybe to you, but not to myself. It may not seem like it, but I'm lacking a huge part of my being that I can't explain. And when I _do_ find that something, become complete, I'll show it to you.'

'And…I can't fill up that part?'

 _You're the one that eats that part up. But also gives it to me most._

Sasuke sighed before standing up to face him. 'It's not something that easy. It's more… something on my piece. As I go on my journey, I'll come closer to finding it. I'm sure of it.'

 _Everything starts before a sunrise, but it's what we do before it sets that matters._

'Hmm.' Naruto looked down again. 'If that's what you wanna do then…'

*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*

Kakashi and Sakura stood where they were- by the gate-when Sasuke walked away from them. He made his way past several trees to where the final member of his former team was waiting for him. The blue-eyed boy was leaning against a trunk and moved forward when he noticed the Uchiha approaching him with slow steps.

The would-be traveller stopped at the sight of the other young man.

'I didn't think you would see me off,' he began. 'Since you were initially opposed to the idea.' He didn't really mean it, but in his heart, there was the tiniest speck of doubt that came with the teasing.

'Hmph.' A hand outstretched to him. It usually would have been the right hand, but it wasn't. The dark-haired boy couldn't help but glance to the sleeve that flapped in the growing breeze.

Was he ever going to stop aching, even for second around Naruto? Trying to focus his thoughts on the object in front of him, he was startled at the good condition in which it was kept. To be holding onto his hitai-ate for so long- how much confidence did his friend hold in him, or rather, himself? How many times did the Uzumaki stare at his headband and convince himself that he was coming back? How many times did he contemplate just discarding it and that his hope was just wishful thinking? So many opportunities where the outcome could have been more sinister. So, so many times things could have gotten wrong. And in the end, though fate's path was cruelly twisted, it led them to this worthwhile result.

'I'll hang onto this, until we can settle things between us properly.' Sasuke took hold of the hitai-ate as its rightful owner, since the blonde showed and said that he was returning it. Strange enough, the determined stare belonging to him that was _so familiar_ to the Uchiha slowly disappeared, as Naruto's expression softened to one that wasn't so different to his look in the hospital earlier. The tanned boy opened his mouth briefly as if to say something, but then decided against it until the other raised his eyebrow in curiosity. Accordingly, Naruto averted his gaze to the side and parted his lips to voice what was on his mind.

'Ya know…if you changed your mind right now it's not too late to turn back heh.' Naruto delivered the words clumsily. Since Sasuke once again brought out the eyebrow, but this time in question, Naruto deserted the small talk and dawdling.

A shaky voice spoke.

'Write to us sometime soon! Be safe- though I don't think I need to worry about that since you're plenty strong, but I'll say it anyways! Don't forget to rest as well and eat since you're as skinny as a stick!' A grin was emerging on the boy's face.

'Oh yeah, try not to be stuck up to those around you and be a bit more social for a change- even though we both know that's going to be a challenge for you haha.'

By this point, Naruto's eyes were clenched shut, and he was grabbing onto Sasuke's arm in a tight grip.

'But Sasuke!'-his voice was becoming more desperate and his hold tightened- 'if you find it overwhelming and need to come back to the village for a bit, then…

'…Ero-Sennin! E-Ero-Sennin told me that where someone is thinking of you that place is your home and home is where the heart is!

'So-!'

'Yeah.' Sasuke showed Naruto a soft smile.

 _I get it._

 **End**

* * *

 _This isn't strictly the end- so expect little in between chapters here and there. I also have a new fic called **'Faith Moves Mountains',** so check that out as well!_


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